


Boy Problems

by BreathDeeply578



Category: Fablehaven Series - Brandon Mull
Genre: Coming Out, Family Feels, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:27:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29797443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreathDeeply578/pseuds/BreathDeeply578
Summary: Seth returns back to school to start his freshmen year of high-school.He is back into the swing of things and starts making friends his own age.Things don't go exactly as he planned.
Relationships: Seth Clearwater/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Boy Problems

Seth had been happy to be back in public school. It had been over a year since he had last stepped foot in a school. A year since he had been around people his own age, excluding Kendra.

It was a new school, the closest high school to Fablehaven was a thirty-minute drive. Warren would normally drive him in the morning, something that the two enjoyed. Seth wondered if Warren would still drive him when he eventually got his own license.

He wasn’t the shy type and thought he had learned caution at the hands of the Society of the Evening Star, it hadn’t done much to curb his socialization skills. He made friends quickly, but one friend in particular stood out and it was starting to bother Seth.

The feelings at first seemed vague and disconnected. He would sometimes blush if Grayson paid attention to him. Sometimes he would fumble his words or trip over his own feet when Grayson was around. He started to notice the way his eyes always seemed drawn to him.

He started to realize he liked the way Grayson would laugh. He liked the way Grayson would smile and look over at him with wide expressive brown eyes. He liked his bangs, that he would use to hide behind if he was feeling shy or embarrassed.

Grayson was easily the softest spoken and gentlest of Seth’s rowdy friends. This didn’t bother Seth, although he had a habit of almost starting fights, if someone was mean to Grayson about his soft nature.

Then one day, in pre-calculates, he realized with the subtly of an elephant that he wanted to kiss Grayson.

Grayson passed a not along their shared table.

 _You okay_?

 _Yeah, why_?

_You just like groaned. Do you need help?_

_No, I hadn’t realized I had made any noise. Sorry._

_No problem, just worried. Let me know if I can help._

Then Grayson softly and comfortingly placed his hand on top of Seth’s. The contact lasted about two second and was easily all Seth thought about for the rest of the day.

The drive home with Warren was the longest one yet. He and Warren would normally play a very entertaining game of would you rather while driving, but today his heart wasn’t in it. Warren kept trying anyway, sensing that something was amiss but not wanting to push him.

Seth went straight to the attic, which because it was the most magically protected still served as his and Kendra’s room. Although, sensing a change and a need in the house the Brownies had built a wall to divide the rooms into two. It made the two rooms much smaller than the large open space it had once been, but it allowed him and Kendra privacy. They hadn’t complained when they had woken in the morning to the change in the room, though they had felt impressed by the fact that apparently the Brownies could construct a wall and put in a second door in the dead of night without alerting Kendra and Seth to their presences.

Sitting in his twin bed his mind raced, since becoming a Shadow Charmer he had been different from those around him, but it never caused him to feel this isolated. He worried about becoming evil, but Bracken eased those fears by agreeing that though his powers where drawn from a dark source it wasn’t affecting his mind our actions. He would have to be careful and avoid becoming evil in the average way, like becoming power hungry. But other than that, his powers did not make him anymore evil then before.

Now though he felt he had another secrete. A new secrete, that he didn’t even know if he could tell his family about. The thought depressed him. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe Seth could still like girls? He could go on dates with girls, or nobody, which had been what he had done so far? Then he could just not tell anyone and die alone…

He heard a knock on his door.

“Can I come in? It’s been a bad day.” Kendra’s voice said softly through the door.

Seth focused on the lock and heard the latch click.

“Did you do that without getting out of bed?” Kendra asked a little in awe.

Seth shrugged his shoulders; the Sphinx had told him he would be able to unlock most locks with practice and he liked the idea of being able to do that and focused on practicing that. This was his own lock and he felt sure that trying to unlock someone else’s lock, especially a magical one, would prove to be more difficult, but he liked messing around trying to see if it could strength his magic.

“What happened?” Seth asked soothingly.

Unlike Seth, Kendra couldn’t go back to school until they secured her a false identity. Though they promised her they were working on it, it was taking time. She would also have to go back to freshmen year, and she had been ahead as it was. She currently was being homeschooled. Mostly my Grandma, Warren and Vanessa. He knew she missed school and even though she tried not to show it, she was jealous of Seth and his ability to join the normal world again.

Because he knew this was a hard time for her, and maybe because he had had some hard times too, he tried to go easy on his sister. He would still prank her sometimes, but only the ones that would normally get a laugh from her too. He stopped making fun of her completely, even about Bracken, when he had said he currently didn’t want to pursue anything right now. He spent more time talking to her and less time annoying her, she in returned tattled on him significantly less and had even tried to prank him a few times, with the help of Warren of course.

Seth was happy with the new bond he shared with Kendra. They had always been close but lately it seemed like they had just gotten along more. It was probably due to saving the world together and growing up. He bet it was mostly the saving the world thing.

“I accidently found one of my “In loving memory” cards in the kitchen. It looked like they had taken it off the fridge and thrown it in a random draw in a hurry, then probably forgot about…”

Kendra’s “death” was a sensitive subject. In fact, the only people that had talked about it with him since it had happened had been Kendra and Warren. He knew it effected his parents and grandparents greatly… But that hadn’t been there… They hadn’t seen it like he had.

So, the subject was a bit taboo in the house.

“I remember it being on the fridge, Grandma had put it there. I had to look at each time I wanted something out of the fridge.” Seth spoke softly.

He tried not to get to caught up in his own grief at the memory. For him it was just a memory, for her it was still something she had to face the consequences of.

“I didn’t even get to tell my friends goodbye; they all think I’m dead. They all think…” Her eyes filled with tears and the only thing Seth could think to do was hug her.

They ended up laying in his bed watching _How to Train your Dragon_. He isn’t sure who put it on, but it was a family favorite. Even if their last Dragon experience was a negative one, and they knew they were not trainable.

Twenty minutes into the movie Warren came into the room. He sat in a chair next to the bed and threw his feet up on the bed. He was only adult that spent time in this room.

They didn’t say anything or move until dinner was ready, halfway through the second _How to Train your Dragon_ movie.

Seth wondered if he should have said something. Kendra and Warren would by far be the easiest to talk to, if he deiced to say anything at all. Maybe it would all just go away.

It didn’t go away, as far as Seth could tell it was getting worse. And Grayson was noticing. Seth had battled fucking Demons and won! But keeping his cool around Grayson was apparently not within his range of ability’s.

It would almost be funny if it didn’t suck so bad.

Grayson had always been a touchy person, not as much as Kendra or Warren, but enough that it wasn’t unusual for him to touch Seth or some of their other friends, if he wanted their attention or while he was talking to them. He seemed careful about who he touched though and out of everyone Seth thought he would touch him the most. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Seth couldn’t tell.

Not to mention the blushing and hiding behind his bangs, he and Seth couldn’t get through a whole conversation without Seth saying something embarrassing and Grayson blushing. On one particular bad instance, Seth had basically said out loud, that Grayson had the prettiest eyes he had ever seen.

Seth tried to look at girls, tried to find one even half as pretty as he found Grayson. It didn’t work. It had been two weeks of trying to direct his romantic affection elsewhere and failing miserably.

Warren stopped asking Seth what was troubling him on the drives home. He even eventually gave up his constant game of would you rather. Now he just played music and sang and danced in the car. If Seth felt up to faking it, he would join in on the songs he knew, he didn’t think he was fooling Warren, but he didn’t push.

Kendra could tell something was off too. First, she thought he was up to no good, or that he knew something dangerous. Soon she seemed to have a change of heart and realized it was a personal problem. She still wanted to know but like Warren she didn’t push.

No one else talked to him about it, so he figured they couldn’t tell or didn’t care.

The first person to break down his barriers was Bracken.

It had been an accident, when on a rainy Sunday afternoon, while Seth was trying to finish the project that he saved for last minute, Bracken reached out to him using the coin.

Bracken wasn’t searching him for information, he knew that. Realistically he knew the reason Bracken could read these thoughts was because Seth’s mind had reached out to him.

These thoughts had been plaguing him for weeks and honestly his project had been boring enough were, even while he was working on it, his mind was still being tormented over this new information about himself.

 _Seth… its nothing to be ashamed of_.

Was the last thing Seth heard before he slammed Bracken out and put his coin on his nightstand, on the other side of the room.

He was waiting for Kendra or Warren to come in, to talk to him. Bracken was going to tell the whole house, he knew it. They would either come in here to tell him off or tell him they loved him no matter what, he wasn’t sure which one he wanted to hear less right now.

However, nothing. No one came barging into his room. He was left to his work in peace as he heard Brackens words come across to him again and again.

He had said it so confidently, sent comfort with his words, not as strongly as he could if he had been touching him, but Seth had still felt the warmth and calm from him for that brief second before he closed Bracken out.

Why had he closed Bracken out?

He knew it was because he didn’t want to face this, wasn’t ready to talk about it. Though apparently his subconscious disagreed as it had reached out to Bracken in the first place. He finished his project he figured it was a B at best and a C- at worst so he was fine with it.

It was close to dinner time, he figured he had about five minutes before they called him down to eat. Not liking how he had just slammed Bracken out he picked up his own coin.

_Sorry about earlier... just… just not ready to talk about it._

_No need to apologies, and we don’t have to talk about it. I just want to say that it will be okay, your family will be okay with it. They love you._

Tears started falling down his face which was the opposite of what he wanted right now.

_Thanks_

Then he put the coin back down. He need space for a second.

That was the except opposite of what he got as Kendra knocked on the door then entered his room to tell him dinner was ready.

She couldn’t see him; he could tell that she couldn’t. He had gotten very good at shade walking. She still knew he was in the room.

“Mom sent me to come get you for dinner”

Seth stepped out of the shadows becoming visible and with one look she knew something was wrong. She walked up to him and hugged him tightly.

Seth cried harder.

Damn, he doesn’t cry. The last time he had cried was when Coulter had died and the time before that had been when Kendra had died. Nothing short of actual death had caused Seth to swell with so much emotion before.

What was wrong with him?

Seth tried to compose himself as he let go of Kendra and took a step back.

She was looking at him with so much concern he felt bad, he is probably scaring her.

He should probably just tell her…And once Seth decided to do something, he does it.

“I’m gay” he says quietly.

“Or at least maybe a little? I don’t know… I have this friend Grayson and…” Seth can tell his face is flushed and tomato red, a feeling he has become pretty accustomed to over the last few weeks.

Kendra’s concern softens, but she doesn’t look disgusted or angry. She is still looking at him softly and caringly. He figures that something.

“I haven’t told anyone else… Well Bracken, on accident with the coin... But just for now can you not say anything?” He asks quietly.

She nods her head and quickly hugs him one more time.

“I love you. I will go tell them you where finishing your project and will be down in a minute.”

Kendra left the room to leave him alone to collect himself for a few minutes. For an annoying sister she was really good at being able to tell what he needed.

It felt good to tell her and he was glad he had done it.

  


He should have known this was a trap by Kendra.

He stood in the middle of a community center that Warren and Vanessa had dropped them off at before a date night.

Kendra gushed about it, about meeting and seeing other kid her own age while not really needing a new identity yet. She had begged her grandparents and then Seth into going.

She said she picked tonight because it had a video game club and book club meeting.

Video gaming club night his ass. It was an LBTQA+ support group and a book club night. Along with senior citizen bingo night which Seth was sternly told he would not be welcome to, by a lady at the front desk.

The book club was reading Little Women because apparently the universe hates him, and they had to choose the lamest book. He would read a book occasionally, but Little Women… Come on really?!

Kendra smirked at him from across the hall. He turned back to the door and was suddenly filled with apprehension.

He must have looked bad because Kendra lost the smirk and grabbed his hand.

“Hey, I’m sorry. We can go play a bored game or something. I am sure there is one somewhere.”

He knew though, that when she had gushed about meeting new people she hadn’t been lying. She would go hang out with just Seth if that’s how it turned out, but it was far from what she wanted to do, and he knew it. Although it would serve her right for dragging him here, he decided against continuing her lonely solitude.

The happy LBTQA+ sign was on the door, eye level with Seth and it seemed to be calling out to him.

Suddenly Seth really wanted to go in too. Maybe he would find someone who could help him, explain his jumbled up messy feelings. Maybe he’d find out that Grayson was just a fluke and that he was already getting over him. Maybe.

“Come with me?” Seth asked quietly.

Kendra just nodded.

Seth pushed open the door with a tight knot in his gut.

He kept repeating in his mind.

 _You fought demons you can do this_. Like a mantra to try and bolster himself. It almost worked

He looked up and noticed the group was just starting to settle into a circle. The age rang for this support group was generally 13-18 and about 12 people that fit between those ages looked up to him as he entered.

And as very familiar eyes and bangs looked up at him, he froze. The universe either hated him or was rooting for him because sitting in one of the chairs in that fucking circle was Grayson.

His eyes widened as he recognized Seth.

Seth swore under his breath and swiveled straight on back out of the room as his courage completely failed him. He had never run form a fight, but this, well this wasn’t a fight.

Kendra looked on in shock as Seth dodged her and her questions and bailed out of the room before he had barely taken a few steps in.

He heard Grayson politely ask the room to excuse him as he darted after Seth.

Kendra must have gotten her baring’s because she followed closely behind Grayson.

Why was the community center so fucking well light, Seth thought hopelessly as he rounded a corner, trying to get closer to the front door.

But before he made it Grayson grabbed his hand, then with a pull that was much stronger than Seth was expecting he ended up in the Men’s room.

Grayson was staring at him with big eyes and a little out of breath.

Seth was standing there frozen. Grayson, after chasing and pulling Seth into the bathroom now seemed to be completely out of things to say because he also stood there, looking at him.

“Seth?” Grayson asked cautiously. What was he expecting? A sting blub? Not that he knew what those where anyway.

“Hey, Hi, yeah…” Seth whispered out.

“I… you… Hi?” Grayson stuttered out.

How fucking dare he be this adorable. He had Seth’s inside twisted so tightly it felt like Seth would never want food again.

“Hey…” Seth said lamely.

They had said Hi enough now… He wanted desperately to get some other words past his lips.

“The group? Are you apart of it?... I’ve uhhh… I’ve been a part of it for a couple months now…” Grayson said quietly.

Seth just nodded, then realized with a jolt it is rude to not respond to Grayson’s question.

“Yeah, Ummm Ke… My friend found it… She wanted to come and asked me to come too… I guess” Seth whispered out.

People didn’t know he had a sister, that would draw too much attention to her absence, and he wasn’t sure if he should call her by her name, since it may change when they find an identity for her.

“Oooo, so, you’re not… you don’t… I…” Grayson looked really nervous right now. Seth didn’t like it.

“No, I am… maybe… I…I told her that maybe… she’s not... I don’t... I don’t think anyway…Its me” Seth gushed out.

Jesus, when did he lose his ability to talk? He could talk to fucking terrifying demons better then he could talk to Grayson right now…

Maybe he should stop comparing Grayson to Demons.

He was much cuter.

“O okay, yeah, cool… this group... great… it’s really great. Maybe we could go back to it? Together?”

Seth felt his stomach tie into knots again, but he nodded dumbly.

Grayson grabbed his hand to lead him out of the room but seemed to think better of it and dropped it before they exited.

His arms where full of Kendra right as he exited.

“Are you okay? What Happened? I’m so sorry” She whispered out.

He hugged her back.

“I’m okay now, just panicked.”

“Hi, I’m Grayson.” Grayson said from behind them.

Kendra eyed him wearily, Seth didn’t think she will ever trust anyone easily again.

“Leah” Kendra said reaching a handout.

Apparently, she had decided on a name for herself.

“Seth knows me from school…Seeing me. I think he panicked.”

“We aren’t in the community center for Hartford…” Kendra said slowly.

“I didn’t want to go to one that was in the town I lived in… in case… Well in case of something like this. Which is why you brought him to this one I’m guessing?” he asked Kendra pleasantly. Either not picking up on or not being offended by her mistrust.

“That was the idea yeah…” Kendra looked at her feet.

“Well, I think I convinced him to go back in with me. If you wanted to come too?”

Kendra just nodded and stood to Seth’s right. Sandwiched between Grayson and Kendra, Seth walked back towards the room.


End file.
